Three Big Dog Training Mistakes You Should Avoid

Dog training can be RUFF. Dog owners want to make the best decision to guide and teach their dogs how to behave. However, starting with an untrained dog can mean starting with a very distracted and energetic goofball who doesn’t always know how to listen.

Whether you are training your dog by yourself or hiring a professional dog trainer, you will always be a key part of the process. Without realizing it, many dog owners end up making three big dog training mistakes. We have outlined these top three dog training mistakes to help have a better experience and results.

Mistake #1 – Becoming Frustrated Too Early

Dog training can be frustrating. Many people believe their dog should be able to learn more easily or quickly than they can. Despite your best efforts your dog might seem to just not “get it”. When patience is low and frustration is high, dog owners are at risk of becoming frustrated too early. When this happens your emotions can cause you to react more aggressively, or even with anger. At this point, your dog can stop focusing on what you’d like them to learn and start focusing on “why is my owner upset?” It can also cause a dog owner to stop recognizing improvement or, worse, give up on the training session all together.

If you are feeling frustrated, pause a moment and take a break. Once you feel calm, begin the session and keep working patiently with your dog. They’ll pick it up, just keep calm and carry on and avoid this dog training mistake.

Mistake #2 – Being Inconsistent

Dogs love patterns and predictability. While the training process might seem complicated, dogs are actually very simple. They respond best to a system that provides the same results for the same behavior. For example, if your dog performs a task you give them a treat, they will expect a treat when the perform a task. This is how your dog learns. If you reward positive behaviors sometimes and not other times, it can cause confusion. Your dog may become unsure what they are supposed to do and you won’t get the results you’re looking for.

We recommend that to avoid this dog training mistake, always be consistent. Provide positive results for wanted behavior and corrections for unwanted behavior. Don’t allow bad behaviors sometimes and not other times or reward positive behaviors sometimes but not other times.

Mistake #3 – Not Being Willing to Learn Too

Dog training is a process and your dog isn’t the only one who needs to learn. You are a part of this too, the whole family is! You are learning about how to be consistent, how to provide commands and to understand their personality. In addition, while your dog might seem distracted and unaware, they are actually very in tune with your attitude. If they feel like a subject rather than a loved companion, they may be less motivated to learn. Nurture them and help them learn while you do and the process can be a lot more fun!

By avoiding these top three dog training mistakes, you are much more likely to see results and enjoy the training process. Remember, this is a process and it is worth being patient, consistent and willing to learn.

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If anything in this article stood out to you and you thought “Oh geez, I think I need help!” Don’t worry. We’re here to help. Though some dogs can be stubborn, they can all be trained to learn a better way. Give us a call at 775-800-1011 or email us at [email protected] for more information about our dog training and behavior modification services.